Fluid container



J1me 1936- H. K. STRICKLER 2,043,339

FLUID CONTAINER Filed Oct. 17, 1929 "Inn/'11,!!!

A TTORNEYS.

40, edge of the wall.

Patented June 9, 1936 PATENT OFFICE )FLUID CONTAINER Harrison K.Strickler, Erie, Pa.

Application October 17, 1929, Serial No. 400,392

4 Claims.

This device is designed to hold fluid under pressure, particularly suchfluids as the more volatile hydrocarbons which at ordinary atmospherictemperature exert pressure. Such receptacles are used for transportationand storage of such liquids particularly at the point of use. It isdesirable to make the containers of as light metal as possible in orderto save expense both in transportation and in original fabrication. Atthe same time it is desirable to have such receptacles capable ofwithstanding a pressure very considerably in excess of the normalpressure to which the container is subjected. In order that thecontainer may be readily handled and have flat 16 ends it is desirablethat the ends be of concave form,the dome shape strengthening the end,but not interfering with the stability of the container when arrangedupon its end. The present invention is directed to strengthening thecontainer and providing for greater durability. Features and details ofthe invention will appear from the specification and claims.

A preferredembodiment of the invention is illustrated in theaccompanying drawing as follows:

Fig. 1 shows a side elevation of a container, partly in section.

Fig. 2 a similar view of a container which has i been subjected to anabnormal pressure.

80 Fig. 3 an enlarged sectional view of the end structure of thecontainer.

Fig. 4 a similar view with the container having been subjected to anabnormal pressure.

I marks the wall of the container, and 2 the ends. These are formed ofsheet metal and the end is concave. The end has a flange 3 which iscylindrically shaped and engages the inner surface of the wall. The edgeof the end of the container has a fold 4 which extends over the A returnflange 5 extends from the fold along the outer face of the wall. Thecomer between the edge of the flange 5 and the outer surface of the wallI receives the material 6 of an electric weld.

A protecting plate I is of channel form, the inner memberil of thechannel extending along the inner face of the flange 3, the outer member9 of the channel extending down along the return flange 5. The edge ofthe member 9 extends beyond the edge of the flange and is bent in towardthe surface of the wall I, thus protecting the material of the weld 6.This plate I,

therefore, particularly strengthens the fold I and the flange 3 and alsoreceives the wear along the edge of the container iii-use. The loweredge of the outer member of the channel at It) also protects the weld.

When the container is subjected to normal pressure, the stiffness of theend due to its concave shape readily sustains the pressure, but under anabnormal pressure the end will be forced outwardly and ultimately willassume a dome shape, as illustrated in Fig. 2. Heretofore containers ofthis type have been made, as particularly illustrated in the patent toJohn M. Kelley, #1,577,974, March 23rd, 1926 where the edge of the endwas welded to the edge of the wall. When this excessive pressure tookplace there was a tendency to break the weld along the edge through theabrupt bending at that point. The present invention with the weld downthe outside is away from the part of the end which is bent in forcingthe end from the concave to the outward form and the outer strain on theend is, therefore, a direct outward pull on the weld, as distinguishedfrom a tearing strain localized at one edge of the weld. The plate Ialso extends over the bend of the end and to the extent of its stiflnesstends to supplement the weld in resisting a severance of the end fromthe side walls under thispressure.

What I claim asnew is:

1. A container including a surrounding wall, a flanged pressureresisting end closure plate, said plate being concave with an outwardlyextending peripheral flange engaging the inner face of the wall andextending over the edge of the wall with a return flange engaging theouter face of the wall, said return flange being secured to a portion ofthe wall having a face not greater than from a plane at right angles tothe axis of the container, and a protecting ring of channel shape, theinner member of the channel engaging the outwardly extending flange andthe outer member of the channel engaging the outer face of the returnflange.

2. A container including a surrounding wall, a flanged pressureresisting end closure plate, said plate being concave with an outwardlyextending peripheral flange engaging the inner face of the wall andextending over the edge of the wall witha return flange engaging theouter face of the wall, said return flange being secured to a portion ofthe wall, having a face not greater than 90 from a plane at right anglesto the axis of the container, and a protecting ring of channel shape,the inner member of the channel engaging the outwardly extending flangeand the outer member of the channel engaging the outer face of thereturn flange, said outer member of the channel having its edgeextending beyond and around the edge of the return flange.

3. A container including a surrounding wall, a flanged pressureresisting end closure plate, said plate being concave with an outwardlyextending peripheral flange engaging the inner face of the wall andextending over the edge of the wall with a return flange engaging theouter face of the wall, said return flange being secured to a portion ofthe'wall having a face not greater than 90 from a plane at right anglesto the axis of the container, by material in the corner formed by thewall and the edge of the return flange, and a protecting ring of channelshape, the inner member of the channel engaging the outwardly extendingflange and the outer member of the channel engaging the outer face ofthe return flange, said outer member 01 the channel having its edgeextending beyond and around the edge or the return flange and enclosingthe material.

4. A container including a surrounding cylindrical wall and a flangedflexible end closure plate, said plate being concave when viewed on itsouter face and capable of expansion to substantially dome shape, due toabnormal pressure within the i0 container and the flange extending overthe edge of the wall and downwardly along the outer face of thecylindrical wall, the flange being secured to the wall by material inthe corner formed by the wall and the edge or the flange.

HARRISON K. BTRICKLER.

